Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-28
THE APPLE In HISTORY.
CURIOUS FIGURE IT HAS CUT IN
THE WORLDS ANNALS.
Early Appearance in Fable and scrip
ture-An Important Factor In Old By
zsntine Days-From Rome to Britain.


From the EeD York Star.
Certainly no fruit has been so celebrat-
ed in history. whether sacred or profane,
as the apple, and no other fruit mas
acquired such an unenviable reputation
as a mischief maker. AS children, we
first read of it in the Bible as being IN
some way the cause OF the expulsion OF
our first parents from the Garden Of Eden,
and thereby having something to do with
the bringing OF sin and consequent death
upon all mankind. fearful charge to lay
TO so delicious and useful fruit.
In the Grecian mythology, says the
Philadelphia Bulletin, the apple figures
very often. We read Of the "apple of
discord," the golden apples' which
caused the feet footed Atalanta to lose
race, by which, however, she won nus
band; the apple upon which Aconitus
wrote love letter to himself and then
swore it was written by Cydippe, which
caused the poor girl a vast amount OF
trouble, and of the apple given to Venus
| by Paris as a prize for her superior
beauty. The judgment OF Paris made all
apples sacred to Venus, and apples were
dedicated TO Hercules when he had CON
| quered the golden fruit OF The Hesperldes.
| to Apollo were the reward OF the YlctorS.
! The scandinavian mythology holds q,
| fable which seems 10 have been derived
| from the tradition OF Eve and the Serpent
| and tue Tree OF Life. According to that
! the Goddess Of lduna kept a box OF ap-
! pies, of which the gods ate wnen growing
old 10 renew their youth. Lox, the
Scandinavian Spirit of Evil. carried OF
| lduna and her liie-givlng apples and Md
in 10 rk n.
| ing them close prisoners. When the gods
were really becoming decrepit Thor The
| Thunderer, made war upon LoX, and
cOnquering him, released lduna and her
fruit, which. being fed to The almost
worn out old gods, quickly reJuvenated
| them.
Taking a long step forward into CIVIL
IzatiOn aud Christianity, we come to a
historical TACT about the apple, which
shows what trouble single one gave to
tue royal family of Byzantium. ABOUT
the opening of the fifth century Theodo-
sius was Emperor OF the East. His wife
was the beautiful and accomplished
! EudOXia. for whom he had entertained a
most unbranded affection for years, and
whom he would have continued to love
! and cherish still death did them part'-
! perbaps-had it not been for an apple.
One day, when all was serene and hap
| py In the loyal household, there came to
the court OF Byzantium, Constantinople,
a philosOphe" OF great learning and re-
| nown named PaulInu5, who soon rose
high in favor with the Empress Eudoxia.
| On certain occasion Theodosius made
special gilt OF a very fine apple to her,
which sac, without dreaming of possible
consequences, in an unguarded moment
gave to Paul,nus, and which he, ignorant
| of the circumstances, next day gave to
| the Emperor as a respectful Offering.
| Recognizing the fruit as his gift TO his
| wife, he flew at once into a rage Of pas
| sion, and became IN moment very
| OJhello in Jealousy. Calling a guard, he
dismissed Paulinus in custody, and order
| ing the Empress into his presence, he de-
manded OF her "what she had done with
the apple he had lately given her~ The
! poor woman, seeing the rage her husband
was in, unhappily lied about it. said she
bad eaten 1t, whereupon the Emperor
produced the fruit. convicting her on the
spot of ialsehood, while he at the same
| time charged her with intidelitY. On that
| very day was Paulinus cruelty put to
death and Eudoxia baGished forever from
| Constantinope. sac retired to some
| obscure part OF Palestine, where she died
eleven years afterward. Thus did an
! apple prove fatal TO the peace Of the
| powerful as we'll as to the lives Of the
beautiful and wise.
1t is somewhat curious to read that Just
four hundred years afterward another
| apple gives disappointment, sorrow and
trouble to another royal family of Byzan-
tum, which will remind the reader of
the .'Three Golden Apples'' story in the
| ever. pleasing Arabian Nights. At the
| commencement OF the ninth century one
Theophlus ruled as Emperor of the East.
Being DESTROYS of having the most beauti-
ful woman in mis- kingdom for his wife, he
80. mi nj
| married women remarkable for their
beauty to appear at Constantinople on a
certain day, when, after review of the
| fair ones, be would announce bis choice
by the presentation OF a golden apple to
the chosen.
The appointed day arrived, SO did the
women, and great numbers Of them--lor
what woman does not think herself
| beautiful ?-and the review began. The
Ophilus was quite puzzled which to
choose, as he walked To and fro among so
many charming beauties. At length he
| paused before one named lcasia, a re-
splendent beauty as well as marvellous
specimen of imperial womauho0d, and
his eye seemed to say he would look no
further Truly" said he, as he gazed
upon the majestic beauty, truly, women
are dangerous things" Icasia made
answer: Yes, sire, but In recompense
they sometimes do great deal CT good"
This answer seemed to displease the
Emperor, as he turned away, and the
golden apple which was almost in the
hand OF Icasa was given TO another
beauty named Theodore. Disappointed,
icasIa retired to convent where she
was eventually far happier than her sue
cessful rival, for rheophlu s and Theodore
did not agree. They differed in matters
Of religion, he being an iconoclast of the
severest type as well as man of an I'M
gnvernable temper. while she was quite
an ardent Roman Catholic, and thus there
was with them no union OF soul. After a
life OF more or less strife OF twelve years
Tbeophilus died, leaving widow to con-
tend with monster of gicKedness in the
shape Of Il hayward son, the Emperor
Michael, who imprisoned his mother for
life For years rheOdora lived to envy
the more fortunate cousin, and TO hourly
mourn that she herself had ever received
the unfortunate prize OF the golden apple.
If the apple has done harm it has also
done some good in recompense. Every
schoolboy knows how much it had to do
with The l0Sp of Switzerland from
the tyrannical y6KcsAustria-t
the story OF William Tell is doubted by
some--as well as that the fall OF an apple
upon the head of Sir Isaac Newton led
him to the discovery of the law OF grayita-